Blog
Can vs. Will
Category: Spirituality
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
-Hebrews 11:1
I've been struggling with the meaning of "faith" lately. Obviously, Hebrews 11 provides me with a pretty simple definition, but it gets more complicated when I go to apply it. This has been a particular struggle in relation to healing. For example, I have absolutely no doubt that God is able to heal - there is no struggle there. I have full faith that the God I cannot see can perform miraculous acts in my life and the life of those that I love. What I don't know is what God will do. Am I lacking faith if I pray for healing, but am not certain that He will answer my prayer with a "Yes?"
My instinct is to say that no, God will often answer my prayers with a "No" or a "Not Yet." But what about "I will do whatever you ask in my name" (John 14:13)? Isn't there something to the whole "Your faith has healed you" stuff? But what if I pray for healing, believe with all my heart that He will do it, then He doesn't. Am I lacking in faith? Am I not doing enough? I can't believe that. I just don't believe that that is how God works. No. The best I can do is to believe that He has the power, ask Him to heal me, and believe that He is in control and will get me through it one way or another.
Preparing for Rain
Category: Spirituality
Prayer is an incredible concept. To think that I can not only communicate with the Creator of the universe, but that He will act in response to my requests is difficult to understand at times. I do not deserve to be able to come into His presence, much less have an intimate relationship with Him.
And yet, I find myself taking advantage of this every single day. When I do pray (which isn't nearly often enough), it is often a lighthearted "God, thank you so much for such-and-such" or "Please help so-and-so through this hard time." I forget to whom I am speaking. I don't come humbly or in awe. It's almost as though I'm giving Him a command: "God, I need you to be with my friend. Well? Get going!" But even more alarming than this attitude is the one that doubts His ability or willingness to answer my prayers. "God, help me with my finances. I am trusting that You will provide." Now, what am I going to have to craigslist first? I tell Him I trust, yet my actions betray my words. I pray for help, then seek to survive on my own. I am often reminded of a story told in the movie Facing the Giants (not the best movie ever, but this story was really cool).
Two farmers pray for rain during a long drought, but only one goes and prepares his fields for the coming rain. Which one actually believed God was going to answer his prayer?
Take this to one extreme and you get the person that quits his job and stays at home, praying that God will provide the finances to pay his bills. Take it to the other and you get me - the guy that prays that God will help, but prepares for the worst, you know, just in case. I'm not very fond of the saying "God helps those who help themselves," but I do think there is truth in that statement. God wants us to be completely dependent upon Him, yet aware that He will use us to answer our own prayers.
For example, if I pray that a friend of mine would be encouraged because they are having a difficult time, God very well may use me to encourage that person. But I must be aware that this is what He wants, not ready to say "Amen" and get back to my life. Or for a more applicable example today: if I pray that God will put the right person into the Oval Office, it would probably be best to go ahead and exercise my right to vote - allow Him to use me to answer my own prayer.
If you find that a prayer doesn't seem to be getting answered, it may help to ask yourself: Am I preparing for rain?
